Reward offered in San Antonio puppy cruelty case

The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the man seen on security cameras throwing a puppy into a San Antonio, Texas, store

The Case: The City of San Antonio gives the following account: On June 10, a suspect caught on surveillance video is seen approaching the entrance of a North side store off U.S. 281 North and Loop 1604 with a Dachshund puppy on a dark leash. The man then detaches the leash, picks up the dog and pitches him onto the store’s concrete floor. The suspect makes his getaway by skateboard as store employees help the traumatized animal.

The puppy, named Vans by ACS staff, has recovered and is available to adopt from Animal Care Services.

The suspect is described as a white male, possibly in his mid to late 20s with long blond hair and a receding hairline. He was last seen carrying a black backpack and wearing a white t-shirt with long red shorts and black tennis shoes.

Animal Cruelty: Getting the serious attention of law enforcement, prosecutors and residents in cases involving allegations of cruelty to animals is an essential step in protecting the community. The connection between animal cruelty and human violence is well documented. Studies show a correlation between animal cruelty and all manner of other crimes, from narcotics and firearms violations to battery and sexual assault.

Katie Jarl, Texas senior state director for The HSUS said: “There is no excuse for this man’s thoughtless abandonment of a young puppy when he could have easily taken him to safety at a local shelter. “We hope our reward helps find this person so he can be held accountable.”

The Investigators: City of San Antonio Animal Care Services is investigating, and anyone with information is asked to call 311 to reach the animal cruelty investigations unit.

Resources: The HSUS Animal Cruelty Campaign raises public awareness and educates communities about the connection between animal cruelty and human violence while providing a variety of resources to law enforcement agencies, social work professionals, educators, legislators and families. The HSUS offers rewards in animal cruelty cases across the country and works to strengthen laws against animal cruelty.

The National Sheriffs’ Association and The HSUS launched ICE BlackBox, a free smartphone tool, to allow users to record video of illegal animal cruelty and share it securely with law enforcement for possible investigation and prosecution.

The HSUS doubled its standard cruelty reward from $2,500 to $5,000 thanks to a generous donation from an HSUS board member. To see information on statistics, trends, laws and animal cruelty categories, click here.